Member-only story
Small Habits Lead to Big Changes
Setting goals in life is smart. It gives us something to shoot for and increases our chances of success. However, aiming too high and biting off more than you can chew are sure ways to end up abandoning your objective. If you want to make big changes that last, it is better to start small and work your way up. This is because small habits lead to big changes in our life.
Our brain circuitry is actually wired to adapt to incremental changes and repetition. If you start taking small steps toward a bigger goal, your brain will begin to develop new neural pathways that make achieving that goal easier. As these pathways are created, you’ll notice that what once seemed difficult becomes more routine. Jumping right in can overstimulate your brain and cause resistance. Here are two examples of what I’m talking about here:
- When I was teaching my fifth grade class one year I quickly realized only a few of my new students knew their times tables through 12 x 12. Instead of asking them to memorize them all over the next couple of weeks I taught them a strategy that would be more efficient and effective. I had them close their eyes and make fists with both hands so they couldn’t count on their fingers. I would say the times tables to them in a soft voice and soon the neural pathways opened. It took almost a month, but 100% of my students had their times tables down cold.
